


We Ride on Dragons

by claudine



Series: claudine's summerpornathon 2012 [5]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Chinese Mythology - Freeform, Folklore, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-28
Updated: 2012-07-28
Packaged: 2017-11-10 22:07:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/471218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/claudine/pseuds/claudine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The tale of the son of the mighty Pendragon and a simple village healer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Ride on Dragons

**Author's Note:**

> Challenge Five: [Myth and Legend](http://summerpornathon.livejournal.com/83440.html)  
> Entry #29  
> Myth/Legend Used: [The Cowherd and Weaver Girl](http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_chinaway/2003-09/24/content_28844.htm)

The summer passed by in a blur. It was the happiest Merlin had ever felt, working hard at being the village healer while Arthur brought home game and took care of the house. They had a little garden in which they grew vegetables for food, too. Hunith, Merlin’s mother, lived in the house just opposite and she brought them frequent gifts of linens and baskets.

This happiness was in most part, thanks to the little white dragon that Merlin kept. One day, it had come rushing through the windows, breathing little fireballs that singed the tablecloth and shrieked about a man in the river. Merlin had followed him, curious and a little afraid. He had found a man, yes, but oh, what a man, with hair that shone in the sunlight and eyes that seemed to be of the same shade as the cloudless sky. The man had been bathing in the river, his fine red cloak on the bank, but with a strong wind, the cloak flew away and Merlin chased after it until he had it safely in his arms, ready to return it to its owner.

 “Your cloak,” Merlin had croaked, trying not to stare. The man narrowed his eyes and then smirked.

“I’m Arthur,” he’d replied.

Merlin had been surprised at his strange abruptness. And then said Arthur stepped out of the river, bare as the day he was born, and gently took Merlin’s face between his hands and kissed him. Merlin’s arms wound around him of their own volition and they had lain together on the river bank that day, reveling in each other’s bodies.

Later, when Merlin asked Arthur to stay, he agreed, but not before hesitating, looking at the sky.

Of course, such idyllic happiness did not last for long.

What Arthur did not tell Merlin was that he was a _Pendragon_ , of the royal family of the skies. A day there was half a year on Earth, and once Uther had found that his eldest son was missing, he’d turned mad with rage and sent out his best riders to find him. Arthur had resisted but to no avail, and the last Merlin saw of him was him being taken back into the skies, swearing that he would find some way to come back. In the chaos, Merlin had been terrified and confused, and finally realizing that Arthur wasn’t coming back, prepared to be resigned to his loss.

Until a certain white dragon demanded that he chase after Arthur.

“Command me to fly into the skies,” it'd said, “for you are a dragonlord.”

 

And thus Merlin rode the little white dragon on the heels of Arthur and the riders that Uther had sent.

The little dragon was fast, ‘twas true, but Uther saw them approach, and just before Merlin reached Arthur, he threw down his crown which turned into a vast river of stars, forever separating the lovers.

***

 

“Do you regret it?” Merlin asked, “Agreeing to come and live with me that day?”

They were twined around each other, his fingers on Arthur’s golden skin, the other hand pumping him slowly as Arthur jerked.

“N-no,” Arthur replied, gasping, “or I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy the taste of life on Earth with you.”

Merlin smiled and kissed him deeply, his tongue pushing insistently between Arthur’s lips, tangling with Arthur’s in a wet, clinging dance.

“We only have this day, the seventh day of the seventh month when the dragons lead me to you,” Merlin said, “and while for you it is two days, for me it is a year. A year I have to go without seeing you.”

“I am sorry,” Arthur replied, softly, pulling apart with a wet sound, “But I cannot for the life of me let you go, to live a life with someone else.”

“Worry not, for I would not, even if that were your wish.”

They clung together, holding each other, making the most of their time before the sun came up.


End file.
